... or, "All I wanted was something to read"
So, there I was shopping in Oerlikon and I found myself right in front of the PB. I'd been meaning to go there for several weeks and sign up, but kept forgetting to bring my passport (I don't carry it around from day to day, duh). But on this particular occasion I really really wanted something good to read, right away, so I thought I'd ask what forms of Ausweis they needed. Totally OK for them to ask specifically for a foreign or Swiss passport, but instead they (3 ladies) remained vague and I found myself playing a guessing game with them ... "What about this? What about that?" Finally one of them said snottily to me, "Ja, ein AUSLAENDERausweis - haben Sie nicht richtig verstanden, was die Kolleginnen Ihnen gesagt haben?" ["Yes, a FOREIGNER'S identity document ... did you not understand what my colleagues were saying to you?"] ... I mean, we're talking about books here. Wouldn't they want to encourage people to come back?

Well, shrug it off. Routine nags about sourpussies fill up our complaint corner, if that can make you feel better, and we have so many foul customer service threads here about this, but honestly, just ignore it and enjoy the books. There are some nice folks here, too, you just have to run into them, I bet there are some at the library too. Be consistently nice, the sourpussies might melt, it takes effort to be mean, so they are bound to get tired. If not, wear a badge that says I love library girls, I just bought one in Prague.

By the way, nobody will rent you anything without you registering on your valid ID, so that's not a CH myth, only.

__________________
"L'homme ne peut pas remplacer son coeur avec sa tete, ni sa tete avec ses mains." J.H. Pestalozzi

“The only difference between a rut and a grave is a matter of depth.” S.P. Cadman

"Imagination is more important than knowledge." A. Einstein

That's a really nasty way of behaving. Totally unacceptable. Who they think they are?

If you really feel bothered, just write a letter to http://www.pbz.ch/info/verein.htm

Forget it and have a nice weekend.

It's not worth it.

PS: I also had my experiences with this library in Oerlikon, but gave them strongly my opinion. I was really not in the mood of forgetting or getting over it.

Thanks. Feeling better about it already. Might just use that link ...